Keluarga Milkami
Keluarga Milkami (The Milkami Family) is a mystery story about the investigation of a series of incidents that occurred after the death of Herman de Becker, the founder of Milkami, a brand of sweets. Plot The year is 1969. Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, but in Jakarta, a family lands on the end of their journey. The story is written in the perspective of Yulia Sastrawijayanti, an aspiring crime writer. Simone de Becker (A.P. Wardhana), the widow of Herman de Becker, the late chairman of PT. Permen Susu Milkami, has been chosen as the replacement and brand ambassador after the death of her husband by the board of directors, chiefly by a Mr. Nichola Fatahillah (Mohammed Nikola Akbar). However, Mr. De Becker did not only leave behind the company as part of his will, but also his debts, while his widow struggles to remain active in the theater and B-horror movies while promoting the Milkami Candy brand. Because of her unstable condition, she is constantly under the medical care of her psychotherapist, Dr. Ananda Syafi (Ananda Firman Syafi). Always with the Madame is Janet Valentina (Valentina), her personal assistant/nurse. Meanwhile, the Madame's granddaughter, Sekar Ayumurti (Tara A. Putri), is a young artist that yearns to be free from her grandmother's restraints. She seeks comfort from her cousin, Bernadette Sarivita (Benedicta Sari Vita S.), a copywriter at an advertising agency, her nanny, Sariajeng (Syifa Adlina W.), formerly a matron of the factory,or to the factory manager, Papa Qasim Udeung (Zakwan Oebit), also her stepfather. Trouble begins when an auditor, Erwin Gugur (Bagas Amanah), comes to inspect the factory. He disappears in the midst of his inspection and was found floating in a pool of milk in the morning, when a strange, gasoline-like odor was detected by the workers. His cunning widow, Amanda Trisnawati (Amanda), seeks justice. A member of the police force, Inspector Bayu Yudanarto (Bayu Pradipta Yusdiansyah) comes to investigate the case with a private detective, Jon Erlangga (Mahesa Ardhyaswara). The gathered witnesses are: Vivian Wen (Dinda Syafira), the steadfast head secretary of Milkami; Senna Sanjaya (Avi Senna Ksatriatama), a plain but keen factory worker; and Imelda Nio (Selvi Angelita), a guesthouse owner who may have been visited by the suspect. More trouble comes when Herman de Becker true last will and testament was found and announced by his executor, Gunawan Sri Hascaryo (Dias Maheswara Putra), and it was found that he had taken a second wife, Kassandra Cendrakasih (Zara Zahrina), a young model. Of course this became hot news to the gossipy Antoina Sarita (Anindita K. Saksono), a newspaper editor (and Herman de Becker's sister-in-law) who sends her most trusted journalist, Norah Hutabarat (Agatha Pertiwi), whom both assists and obstructs the investigation. The case unearthed, as it turns out, was far worse than debts, corpses in pools of milk, or even the New Order. The story is only resolved many years later through Yulia, who turns out to be Jon Erlangga's younger sister. Characters Investigators * Jon Erlangga, a young and curious private detective in his late twenties who is bent on solving any case that comes his way. Despite his penchant for striving into details carefully, his recklessness often costs the well-being of the police force, which puts him at odds with the inspector. * Bayu Yudanarto, a disgruntled and weary police inspector in his late thirties. Though he does not trust Jon and Norah (especially Norah) well, he allows them some room to do their jobs. He is a patient but quietly suffering man with a problem in tactfulness and looks at his job simply as a job. * Norah Hutabarat, a crafty yet bumbling investigative journalist in her early twenties who seems to know just how to be at the right place at the right time. She makes use of her inconspicuousness for her career, which is highly regarded by her employer Antoina. Her ways frequently clash with Bayu and Jon's, but she ultimately provides valuable, even lifesaving information. Suspects * Simone de Becker, an impetuous and domineering heiress and widow in her early fifties, used to a much more decadent lifestyle while her husband was alive. Though usually aloof, she is prone to bouts of emotional distress which requires round-the-clock care by her doctors and her personal assistant/nurse. She has a habit of controlling the people around her, which can prove to be either a good motive for murder or something to be used against her. * Nichola Fatahillah, a dull and bureaucratic man in his early sixties and a longtime friend of Herman de Becker but disliked by Simone. He appoints her as chairperson even though he hasn't much patience for her. This may be done to hide the fact that somebody in the company is embezzling the profits for personal use. * Ananda Syafi, a reserved and philosophical psychotherapist in his early thirties hired by Simone to handle her 'nerves'. He has little explanations for his actions though he seems dedicated to his work. His past, however, reveals things stranger than his treatment methods. * Janet Valentina, a meek and mousy nurse/personal assistant of Simone in her mid-thirties. Though she seems obedient by nature, she reveals a more mysterious and secretive side outside of Simone's employment, which would put her either as an unwilling accomplice or a quietly deceiving conspirator. * Sekar Ayumurti, an artistic and rebellious young painter in her late teens, she is thoroughly displeased by her grandmother's iron fists. Though she is sweet and caring by nature, she finds ingenious ways to quietly disobey her grandmother. It may be easy to praise her creativity, but it might also be dangerous to underestimate it. * Amanda Trisnawati, a conniving and seductive recent widow in her late thirties, she is adamant that justice is served for the death of her husband Erwin. Though her zeal may seem like a sensational reaction to murder, is there more to it than that? * Antoina Sarita, a gossipy and blunt newspaper editor in her late forties who wants to stop at nothing for top quality journalism. But her desire for truth may just be a mask for her tendency to use secrets as blackmail material and possibly even more. * Gunawan Sri Hascaryo, a loudmouthed and jabbering notary in his mid-forties who seems ignorant enough to warrant a lack of suspicion. But having been trusted with many of Herman's crafty secrets, could it be that he had bent the law to favor those that would favor him? * Sariajeng, a kind-hearted and protective nanny to Sekar in her late-forties who used to work as a matron at the candy factory until she was hired by Mr. De Becker to raise Sekar after her mother's death. She knows more than she lets on, and she might have gone to drastic measures to protect the ones she love. Witnesses * Vivian Wen, the agile head secretary of Milkami and trusted assistant of Herman in her early thirties. She is an effective and helpful worker who knows where everything is, proving her to be a valuable asset in the investigation, or perhaps an easy target? * Senna Sanjaya, the diligent though plain-minded factory worker in his mid-forties who found the body of Erwin. Though he seems eager to assist, his naivety (based on his devotion to his work) of the situation may hide valuable things in the investigation. * Imelda Nio, the witty and nagging proprietress of a guesthouse near the factory which had recently been visited by a suspicious person, in her late forties. She writes down things that she sees as she frequently sits in front of her guesthouse. Miscellaneous * Qasim Udeung, the kindly and wise manager of the Milkami factory from humble beginnings in his mid-forties, his devotion to the work is out of love for his family rather than the gains, as he would gain nothing from the family fortune. But just because someone does not take sides, it does not mean that they may be neutral and it's possible that he may have just known too much. * Erwin Gugur, a smilingly cheerful but dreaded man in his mid-forties who was at the wrong place at the wrong time. * Kassandra Cendrakasih, a vain and uncaring young model in her late twenties who had found Herman to be a valuable patron of her work, providing her with the means to survive in the city. But her precarious position in the investigation may just place her life in danger. * Bernadette Sarivita, the overworked copywriter of an advertising agency in her mid-twenties, Yulia is Sekar's only apparent friend that understands her life. She is the niece of Antoina who became her guardian after the death of Yulia's parents and had restrained her much like how Simone restrained Sekar. Category:Stories